October 01, 2017

By Matthew Rousu

It is a time of transition in the Sigmund Weis School of Business (SWSB) and Susquehanna University, but it is not a time to stand still. The past 12 months have brought us tremendous change, with L. Jay Lemons stepping down after 16 years of the presidency and former business school dean Marsha Kelliher assuming a presidency of her own at Walsh College. At some institutions, this type of change would cause a “wait-and-see” approach. Not here.

Matthew Rousu, Interim Dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business

The 2016-17 academic year was one of the most successful in the history of the Sigmund Weis School of Business. Our graduates took fantastic positions at some of the top firms in the world. Our current students landed prestigious internships. The school’s faculty implemented innovative teaching methods while also publishing their scholarship in some of the top outlets in the world. Other highlights from last year include:

  • SWSB becoming an affiliate member of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute.
  • A third successful year of the Women’s Leadership Symposium. (And planning has already begun for the 2018 symposium!)
  • A redesign of the entrepreneurship minor.
  • A great recruiting year, with almost 170 students starting out in Global Business Perspectives.

We are committed to continuous improvement, and one key improvement we are implementing this semester is detailed in our cover story. Now, every student who enrolls in the London Program will get a 10-week internship while abroad. When the spring 2019 graduation rolls around, about one-third of SWSB students will have completed an international internship. I am not sure if any other school in the world can claim this.

There are other ways we are looking to improve as well. We are working on new majors and minors; additional international partnerships to expand student opportunities; and ensuring the success of our newly formed Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship Education.

Our goal, as always, is to figure out how we can best serve students.

It is an honor for me to serve as the interim dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business. I think we are one of the best places in the world for an undergraduate business education, and I look forward to helping make 2017-18 our best year ever.